by Yehuda Friedman
Here is a tip that I have been using for many years.
Starting with a Taig lathe, I was always hampered by its small size. Of course, my projects were always too large or at the extreme limits of the Taig’s capacity. If I’d used a large lathe, I’m sure the opposite would be true. I bought and installed the riser blocks that Taig sells, but this did not increase the center distance.
So, to make a long story short, standard lathe dogs are often just too large to use with this lathe. To solve this problem, I made a driver plate to fit the Taig spindle that measured 3-1/2″ diameter by 1/4″ thick, with a boss about 3/4″ long. I tapped the boss with the spindle size threads (3/4-16). After tapping, I mounted the plate backwards and trued the boss face where it contacts the spindle shoulder, then reversed it again and trued the face and circumference. I then drilled and tapped two holes in the face, about 3/8″ in from the outside edge.
I use ordinary setscrew shaft collars of the appropriate size for my workpiece, with the setscrew replaced with an appropriate bolt. This bolt engages with one of two bolts that I screwed into the two tapped holes in the driver plate. I leave both bolts in to better balance the driver plate. A faceplate with a couple of bolts, nuts, and washers would do the same, but back when I bought the Taig they did not offer a faceplate.
Setscrew collars are cheap and available in many sizes. I try to use one as close in size to the workpiece as possible, as it holds more securely. I have never had one slip.
I hope this tip proves useful.
Thanks Yehuda! Your subscription has been extended by an issue.
